Formal pedestrianisation restrictions in Lichfield city centre will start in March, council chiefs have said.
An 18 month trial of the scheme which will see traffic banned between midday and 9pm was due to start earlier this month.
But residents and businesses had been left confused after vehicles continued to use the city centre roads and parking bays.
But a spokesperson for Lichfield District Council said the trial would fully get underway in the coming weeks.
“The parking bays are now suspended throughout the pedestrianised zone, with the formal restrictions commencing in early March and new signage being installed in the interim.
“Staffordshire County Council is gathering feedback on the trial scheme which can be submitted via online and further details are available on our website.”
Lichfield District Council spokesperson
The introduction of the trial has not proved popular in some quarters though, with an online petition being launched over the removal of the disabled parking bays due to the restrictions.
It is either pedestrian zone or it isn’t, it is due to be Lichfield usual half baked scheme pedestrian half the day race circuit for blue badges the rest
This council seems determined to discriminate against disabled people, ably assisted by some selfish, ignorant people. Apart from the rampant discrimination, for a city struggling to keep shops open, with very limited parking on the edge of the city centre, it does seem a strange policy. The story has regularly changed. Parking bays were first closed off for social distancing, then it was ‘pavement’ cafes, now it’s pedestrianisation. How are market traders supposed to function, or hasn’t this been considered? No, let’s make things very difficult for disabled people and others, so some people can walk down the middle of the road when there are perfectly good pavements. No doubt there will be disgusting comments from Mr Legs and others.
Just because you’re old and can’t walk far doesn’t mean you have a disability, blue badge brigade or not. Just because it inconveniences you not being able to leave your car for free in the ‘prime’ parking spots anymore doesn’t mean that this isn’t the smartest decision for the vast majority. Disabled spaces should only be for those with genuine mobility issues and require use of a wheelchair. This is a small percentage of the population. People who don’t want to walk because what they perceive to be far because they’re old and slow isn’t the same as being disabled. Blue badges have been given out far too easily.
Outrageous, this Council listens to no-one they just ride rough shod over people’s views. They need to go, remember this at the next election. Disgusting.
I’m a little confused as to where this narrative of the council going against the will of the people just because one group believe the decision to pedestrianise is wrong has come from? Many have spoken about wanting full pedestrianisation and, given the online petition has only just about ticked past 500, I’d suggest this groundswell of blue badge support isn’t as there as some believe. Shouting loudest doesn’t mean you’re in the right.
I get it will inconvenience some people, but sometimes there is a greater good at work. I’ve seen the comments on this site where people have tried to justify the need to keep cars coming through the city centre. This line about chemists, opticians and banks; the first two are available elsewhere. The third on that list are closing across the country anyway so you won’t need to worry about parking outside one for much longer. Also, most bays are on Bore Street which are no further from most of these facilities than the relocated bays anyway so the argument doesn’t hold much water I’m afraid.
Other cities have pedestrianised successfully without the complete demise of their city centres, so quite why Lichfield is any different I don’t know.
As I predicted, the intolerant comments have started. Alica Fibmerchant- what is your definition of ‘disabled’, as you seem to contradict yourself? Contrary to what you might think, blue badges are given for a reason, and behind every blue badge is a person. Trev- so it’s a numbers game, is it? How many people are needed before they are catered for? In case you hadn’t noticed, there are already pedestrianised areas in the city centre. This pedestrianisation will make the bays on Bore Street inaccessible, so your argument falls down.
I can’t see what they can learn from the “trial” that they don’t already know. Unless it is policed, some people will ignore the rules and drive through, and they will be able to carry on doing so without fear for another 18 months. Those who are a danger to pedestrians are not (genuine) blue badge holders, but anti-social morons who will continue being a menace. The disabled are being penalised for a crime that they have not committed.
John Allen…you do realise that a debate is not just everyone listening to your view and having to agree with you? People might be more willing to listen if you dropped the pitchfork and the “I am right” chants.
The point I was making was that the Bore Street issue demonstrates that change can be managed. When the spaces elsewhere were lost for social distancing/outdoor dining disabled drivers had to move to Bore Street. They moaned, but they did it and have managed that distance. So why is the loss of the Bore Street spaces any worse than the loss of those were given the distance between opticians and chemists are nearer to the existing car parks than they are the current provision on Bore Street? People adapted to the loss of the other bays and they will do with these ones.
What’s the plan when the banks close or an optician shuts? Disabled drivers will find somewhere else to go. Change happens, like it or not.
I don’t know about confusion, how are some people supposed to find out about these things?. Everything is on the internet now. I wouldn’t have known had I not had Facebook which I don’t go on very often. We have no local paper anymore & even the petition is online or people are told to go to the website
Ohhh dear John Allen is on his high horse once again telling the majority of people they are wrong and the Blue Badge Brigade are so hard done by and discriminate against !!!
They can park on double yellow lines for 3 hours ? Wade Street & back of B&M are not good enough for him ? Next he’ll want to allow the Brigade to drive up and down the precinct as to enable full access to every shop in Lichfield. As mentioned there needs to be a 100% ban 24/7 and and be done with no excuses no badges. Get it sorted LDC and start enforcing the ban.
Ah, Alica and Trev, what lovely caring people you are.
My wife cannot now visit the dentist, the bank or go for a coffee in the centre after 12 noon. Being disabled is not a choice, for many it is a daily struggle, made more unbearable by exclusion from aspects of normal life. Why should she have to go somewhere else, we live in Lichfield!
And yes, she could possibly struggle to walk from another parking place but she wouldn’t be able to make the return journey.
I bet you would be banging on the council doors soon enough if someone in your family had a similar disability.
I hope you enjoy the city without these nuisances, maybe you could meet up and decide which minority group you think should be banned next?
Get on with it please. It was supposed to be in the new year and now it’s March. Put up some cameras and start fining people who are flouting these laws. I want to be able to walk through a PROPER pedestrianised town centre which other cities seems to manage yo have.
This will further kill trade to the businesses in its near surroundings.
It’s No Wonder-Lichfield is Going From Bad to Worse!
Apparently, there is evidence of people living with disabilities as far back as prehistoric times. For these people to survive, they would have required some help from others in their communities. Clearly, kindness has been a feature of ‘civilised’ human society for a very long time.
So it would be a real backwards step if Lichfield were to simply ignore the needs of people with mobility issues. I’d like to see a safe, pleasant pedestrianised area in Lichfield, but not at the expense of it being a place that welcomes everyone. Allowing some traffic in until midday is a sensible compromise, but this needs to include parking for blue badge holders during those hours of access. Why not leave the disabled parking spaces and simply restrict their use to the mornings? Removing them altogether seems totally unnecessary.
Alica,wow what a callous, bigoted view you have of the disabled in Lichfield. My wife has fibromyalgia, a spinal cord injury and has recently been diagnosed with MS. She is physically unable to use a wheel chair because of these dreadful conditions but manages to walk a few steps with the aid of adapted crutches. That’s a FEW steps only. By your logic she isn’t disabled despite being in severe pain every waking minute and she isn’t allowed to visit her dentist,bank, opticians etc. I am truly staggered by some of the comments on this thread, I really cannot believe the amount of anti disability rants posted here. The fact that a petition has been raised surely indicates that the disabled of our city are worried about the impact of this ridiculous parking ban will have on their everyday lives. The council never consider the impact of their actions on the disabled. Try living a day in the life of my disabled wife an see the effects of the council’s discrimination against the disabled.
All these people saying ‘blue badge brigade’ just makes themselves look like bullies. I hope you never need one in your lifetime, and if you ever do, maybe you’ll understand
Well, some interesting responses. Trev- an interesting take on the subject of debate. I correct one of your points, but am then accused of a ‘pitchfork I am right’ approach. I’m hardly likely to argue in favour of something where I don’t think I’m right, am I? And many people can’t adapt because of their disabilities, and have pointed this out, even in this thread. Mr Legs- I find your reference to the ‘Blue Badge Brigade’ quite insulting. These are real people with problems and needs, not some faceless army of troublemakers, as you would like to portray them. You persist with your silly claim about parking outside every shop, which is getting quite boring now. Alica Fibmerchant seems to have no idea what disability is. The voice of common sense from Carl Sholl and Clare Sholl as usual.
It’s only when you become disabled; and by disabled I mean unable to walk more than a few yards without pain and the need to stop, does the value of disabled spaces play to encourage people to visit and patronise businesses in the beautiful city of Lichfield.
I’ll bet not one of the discriminators of the ‘blue badge brigade’ have any mobility problems whatsoever, so they’re all-right-Jack aren’t they?
Be a different story though if it happened to them I’ll bet!
I too am shocked by the total unkindness of others in these comments. Lichfield should be able to be used by the whole community young, old & disabled etc. The reasoning for the full pedestrianisation is very flimsy & actually wanted by very few. The vast majority of Business’s in Lichfield oppose this strongly. They need all the customers they can get in these hard times.
Here we go again. Discriminating against people who aren’t able to walk or to to walk far.Why don’t you just ‘ put us on the scrap heap’ Those with horrible comments make me/us feel worthless, we are being treated like aliens.
Unless you have a disability or know of someone who has, you don’t know what it’s like not to be able to do or go where you wish to. Maybe you will need a blue badge in the future, you don’t know! We are Human, have rights, as able bodied people do, we have feelings, I’m sad to see the many cold hearted comments from people on this page. We didn’t or haven’t chosen to have disabilities.I have been associated with Lichfield all my life. Started school here, married a Lichfield man, In laws had a shop here until late 80’s always shopped here, gone to Bore street dentist since child ( although may have to rethink that) I love visiting Lichfield.I did come into city other day. It was a ghost town…shame on you LDC for discriminating against the disabled..
Sorry to say it but some of you blue badgers are really self entitled.
Mobility scooter/vehicle is the modus operandi
When full pedestrianisation is in force I hope action will be taken not only against motorist but cyclists and scooter users as well, they are not perdestrians.
It’s a restriction, taking away reasonable access that existed for disabled users, and not replacing it with an alternative, viable, credible system for people with disabilities.
Pushing parking way out of the centre, and introducing a short access window is not exactly on par with the equivalent able person access. Infact it smacks of discrimination towards the disabled by Lichfield District Council.
AgitatorofPeople stop playing the hard done by disability card, there is close parking behind B&M and Wade Street ? I agree you cannot park outside your favourite bank and whistle to the staff to bring out your cash but I’m sorry the needs of the majority outweigh the needs of the minority. It’s a very short distance from either of these parking locations you can park for free and make do or else find somewhere else to shop.
I have been in to Lichfield town centre today. Plenty of cars driving through the town centre and a young lad on a trials bike riding up the precinct!!! This may be the same bike I saw some weeks ago one Saturday afternoon riding down the pedestrianised area outside Cafe Nero. What makes the council think that by putting up signs advising no entry to the town between midday and 9pm is going to make the slightest difference. Cameras need to be installed in the town centre and these law breakers need hefty fines given out.
@Mr Leggs: You refer to the “needs of the majority”. What exactly are those? In what way are the “needs of the majority” served by depriving a minority of their clearly genuine needs? I don’t see any “needs” being served by that.
@Irene Lichfield is in no way a ghost town, if anything it’s too busy and lacks capacity. Caffe Nero rammed with no seats free at 10am on a weekday these days. Weekends the town is almost unusable it’s so full and bookings are essential for restaurants. I’m sympathetic to your view but there’s no need to exaggerate.
Is Mr Leggs the same person as Mr Legs, or have we got two really objectionable characters on here?
@John, what action would you like to see taken against people who ride a bike, and why?
This is a first step in restricting vehicles in our city. Please look onto the 15 minute cities being rolled out across the UK and other countries, Oxford in particular. The Gov are giving financial incentives to authorities for low traffic neighbourhoods. Small businesses will be decimated whilst your fundamental right to free movement will be restricted.
If you take a while about it you will be out of office come the next elections then we can all get back to something more sesible..
As a disabled Lichfield person I am disgusted, angered and saddened by some of the comments on here – calling us ‘The Blue Badge brigade’ is bullying and discriminatory. Remember life can change very swiftly due to an accident, illness etc and one day you too might join the ‘Blue badge brigade’! Oh Lichfield, I used to think you were a beautiful City :(
I can’t believe the lack of understanding for disabled drivers. You can’t unless you are in the position where you struggle to breathe or it’s so painful to walk. There are limited disabled spaces as it is. So it’s not being inclusive is it. Please don’t say oh we are increasing disabled. bays in the few other car parks, that’s not the point. The point is disabled people will no longer be able to visit the city centre or if they do it will cause them pain. Having lived here for over 20 years there has been no issues. Has there been an extra ordinary amount of accidents or is the council saving money because the ridiculously block paved the centre and it’s not lasting?
I understand the needs of the disabled but I fail to see how making you ride your scooter or pushed via wheelchair, an extra 30ft from the nearest disabled parking bay. There is now extra disabled parking bays for those who need them at Bird street, Friary carpark, Friary Inner carpark, Multi storey carpark off Birmingham road and the small Lombard multi story on cross keys. Having cars drive through the town centre nearly clipping people and fumes choking those around isn’t very desirable even for tourism. Also if you use crutches or difficulty with long distance then you might want to take use of the Shopmobility from the council it costs £5 for annual membership, then £1 each time you use the service if your in receipt of benifits they might offer some further aid. In regards to the state of the shops in Lichfield thats been declining long before covid so the claim that removing disabled parking from inside the town centre is going to damage local shops revenue is just laughable.
How do less able bodied people in Sutton Coldfield [3 times as many as within LDC] manage within their Town Centre? This has been happening all over UK Town & City Centres for many years
There are some shops that wont let my dog inside. He has free movement rights. His paws are smaller than humans and get cold. He can’t order things off the internet either. He has fundamental rights and it’s utterly discriminatory.
What hope have we got for the other schemes, Cinema and Birmingham Road site etc., when they can’t even get the pedestrian area sorted out on time
Not even a new sign at entrance, are people supposed to be mind readers, also the policing of it
Lack of communication, how are the majority of people supposed to know about it
So, after 9pm when people are starting to come out of the pubs, it will be open for people to drive through.
This is a typical halve baked council decision.
I’m all in favour of Pedestrianisation, but it should be 24/7.
@ian, if you’re coming out of the Pub at 9pm then you’re going home too early. Shandy Pants!